The drive from Surprise, AZ to Casa Grande, AZ covers 74.9 miles and takes about 1h 32m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Papago Freeway, Maricopa Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.1 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.4 miles from Surprise, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 32m. Total distance: 74.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Casa Grande, AZ covers 74.9 miles and takes about 1h 32m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near West Greenway Road.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 74.9 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (West Greenway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|West Greenway Road
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
14.5 mi into trip|~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
6
29.5 mi into trip|~38m in|I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
66.1 mi into trip|~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 185
Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
6
66.4 mi into trip|~1h 18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward AZ 387 South: Casa Grande, Casa Grande Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AZ 387 South: Casa Grande, Casa Grande A...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Surprise, AZ and Casa Grande, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge and Casa Grande Airport.
Coolidge
66.1 mi in|~1h 17m
Casa Grande Airport
66.4 mi in|~1h 18m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
23.1 mi
23m
Papago Freeway
14.9 mi
17m
Maricopa Freeway
12.3 mi
14m
Agua Fria Freeway
8.9 mi
10m
North Pinal Avenue
7.9 mi
13m
Grand Avenue
4.6 mi
7m
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
0.5 mi
<1m
State Route 387
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 23.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surprise, AZ and Casa Grande, AZ.
1
Start on North Nash Street
0.3 mi·53 sec·North Nash Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Santa Fe Drive
3
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
217 ft·7 sec·West Greenway Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto US 60
4.6 mi·7 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
6
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
8.9 mi·10 min·Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 1BToward I 10 East: PhoenixUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 10
10 mi·12 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·35 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
10
Continue on I 10
3.2 mi·3 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
1.2 mi·1 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 10; US 60
12 mi·14 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
23 mi·23 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 185Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, CoolidgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward AZ 387 South: Casa Grande, Casa Grande Airport
16
Turn straight onto AZ 387
0.4 mi·38 sec·State Route 387
17
Continue on AZ 387
7.9 mi·13 min·North Pinal Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
AZ 287
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37.4 miles from Surprise, AZ, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 16 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.4 miles or 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Casa Grande, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Surprise, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Surprise, AZ
This is one driving day of about 74.9 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Surprise, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway for about 23.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 37.4 mi from Surprise, AZ
· 47m into the drive
The midpoint is around 37.4 miles from Surprise, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Casa Grande, AZ
The final approach into Casa Grande, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 67.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.92 one way
$29.84 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$15.79
$31.58
premium
$5.59
$16.49
$32.97
diesel
$5.61
$16.54
$33.07
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.5
0
$7.86
$3.60
Efficient EV
18.7
0
$6.55
$3.00
EV Truck/SUV
30
0
$10.49
$4.79
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Surprise, AZ
Morning
in Surprise on Friday
Local time
7:24 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Casa Grande, AZ
Morning
in Casa Grande on Friday
Local time
7:24 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 32m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Casa Grande, AZ covers 74.9 miles and takes about 1h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Papago Freeway, Maricopa Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 37.4 miles from Surprise, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.92 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 74.9 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (West Greenway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Surprise, AZ and Casa Grande, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge and Casa Grande Airport.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
